Representations are due by 12 noon on Monday 6 February 2006 on this ORR draft decision (14 pages, PDF) proposing to direct Network Rail to offer access rights on the East Coast Main Line for a new open access operator, Grand Central, to operate direct class 222 services between Sunderland and London. Hull Trains' temporary service would be maintained, and GNER's application for additional ECML capacity would be postponed until Network Rail had completed work on a general restructuring of the timetable. ORR rejects Network Rail's views about the adverse performance effects of additional services, stating instead that it is Network Rail's responsibility to find timetabling solutions to accommodate "limited additional services". It also considers that the proposed direct services were not "primarily abstractive" of GNER's revenues, in particular that the (unstated) loss of franchise premium revenue for the DfT was "not so significant as to outweigh the other benefits".